International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.27, 246-249
246
Research Report Open Access
Performance of Two Potato Cultivars Derived from In-vitro Plantlets,
Mini-tubers and Stem Cuttings Using Aeroponics Technique
Jane Muthoni
1
, Mbiyu M.
2
, C. Lung’aho
2
, S. Otieno
2
, P. Pwaipwai
2
1 Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Genetic Resources Research Institute, P. O. Box 781 00902, Kikuyu, Kenya
2 Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Horticulture Research Institute (KALRO)-Tigoni, P.O Box 338 00217, Limuru, Kenya
Corresponding email
International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.27 doi
Received: 15 Sep., 2017
Accepted: 30 Sep., 2017
Published: 03 Nov., 2017
Copyright ©2017
Muthoni et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article
:
Muthoni J., Mbiyu M., Lung’aho
C., Otieno S., and Pwaipwai P., 2017, Performance of two potato cultivars derived from in-vitro plantlets, mini-tubers and
stem cuttings using aeroponics technique, International Journal of Horticulture, 7(27): 246-249 (doi
Abstract
An experiment was conducted at KALRO-Tigoni to assess the effect of starter plant material (in-vitro plantlets, stem cuttings
and minitubers) on minituber production of two potato cultivars Asante and Tigoni under aeroponic conditions. The experiment was set
up in the aeroponic unit at KALRO-Tigoni in randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times. Data were collected at
each harvest on the number of minitubers produced per plant; the minitubers were later graded into three weights (0.1-5g, 5.1-12g, >12g).
Cultivar Tigoni produced a higher total number of minitubers (49.96) and (52.67) compared to Asante which produced (39.63) and
(46.39) minitubers in season one and two respectively. Additionally, in-vitro propagation materials gave the highest number of
minitubers (56.44 and 62.94) compared to stem cuttings (43.53 and 51.44) and minitubers (34.42 and 34.19) during the two seasons
respectively. The results of this study suggest that the starter materials have a significant effect on the number of potato minitubers
produced under the aeroponic system regardless of the potato cultivar. Use of in-vitro plantlets as starter material optimizes minituber
production in the aeroponic system. However, the study should be repeated so as to come up with concrete results.
Keywords
Aeroponics Asante; Potato minitubers; Starter material; Tigoni
1 Background
In Kenya potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the second most important staple crop after maize and plays a major
role in national food and nutritional security (Janssen et al., 2013). Potato is grown by about 800,000 farmers
cultivating about 161, 000 hectares per season with an annual production of about 3 million tonnes in two growing
seasons (GTZ-PSDA, 2011; MoALF, 2016). The annual potato crop is valued at KSh. 50 billion (USD 500
million) at farm gate prices (GTZ-PSDA, 2011; MoALF, 2016). Beyond the farm, the industry employs about 3.3
million people as market agents, transporters, processors, vendors and exporters (ANN, 2009; MoALF, 2016). In
addition potato is a vital source of calories, proteins, vitamins, potassium and fiber.
Most potato producers are small scale famers; it is estimated that 90% of them own less than 1 ha (Janssen et al.,
2013). Most of these farmers depend on rainfall to produce their crops. Yields are low [4.4 to 10 t ha-1 with an
average of 7.7 t ha-1 (MoA, 2008; Muthoni et al., 2010; Janssen et al., 2013)]. Low yields are mainly due to use
of poor quality seed potato, low soil fertility, low and erratic rainfall, pests and diseases (Janssen et al., 2013).
Certified seed potato is expensive (about US$ 30 for a 50 kg bag) yet one requires 16 such bags to plant one acre.
In addition, certified seeds are scarce; certified seed potato producers supply less than 5% of the national demand.
Consequently, most farmers plant seed tubers from informal sources such as own harvests, neighbours and local
markets with own harvests being the major source of seed for most farmers. Continuous cultivation of these
farm-saved seeds encourages buildup of diseases such as bacterial wilt and viruses.
Production of disease-free potato seed tubers starts with tissue culture using meristem tip culture (KARI, 2007).
The in-vitro plantlets produced are then multiplied 3 to 4 times in the laboratory using nodal cuttings. Later, they
are transferred into seedling trays containing sand substrate for hardening and further growth. They are then
transplanted into the aeroponic boxes or soil-filled pots for production of minitubers (generation 0) (Muthoni et al.,
